They all remembered。 Ben said： 〃Nestor wasn't at it long enough。 Anyway； it's a special hunt that I have in mind。 There's just one dragon that needs to be got rid of。〃
〃Everyone who's plagued with dragons on his land says that；〃 Barbara advised him。 〃Get your pay in advance。〃 Now she swiveled her head to look at the two men in quick succession。 〃Both of you； ing back at the same time like this … I wonder if there's some connection？〃
〃I want my Sword back too；〃 said Mark。 〃But I'm not going dragon hunting。 And I had no idea Ben had gone off to enlist； or that he'd be looking for Dragonslicer now。〃
〃What do you need Coinspinner for？〃 Barbara asked him。 〃Not that I have to know。 I'll get it back for you anyway。〃
〃No secret about it。 I'm going back to Sir Andrew's army。〃 〃Why do you want to do that？〃 Ben shot at him。
〃I don't know if I want to。 I just feel like I've got to。 I told you I was with him for a while； and then things got to seeming hopeless； and I left。 And then。。。 〃
〃They probably are hopeless；〃 said Ben。
〃Then I went back to my old village； Arin…on…Aldan； to see if I could locate my mother and my sister。 There。。。 wasn't any village any more。 Five years since I've been there。 Maybe I'll never know what happened to them。〃 Mark paused。 〃But I'm going back to Sir Andrew now。 With Coinspinner； if I can。〃
〃Why？〃 pursued Ben。
Mark leaned forward to talk past Barbara。 〃Look； he's trying to help his people。 The people who were his； before he lost his lands。 Don't you think they want him back？ It isn't just the lands； the wealth； that he's trying to recover。〃 Feelings； ideas； were struggling in Mark but he couldn't find the words to let them out。 〃He keeps on fighting the Dark King；〃 he concluded； feeling even as he spoke how inadequate the words were。
〃Sounds hopeless；〃 said Ben； remorselessly practical。
〃Everything's hopeless； as long as people don't try。〃 And Mark added suddenly： 〃I wish that you and Barbara would e with me。〃
〃To join an army？〃 Barbara laughed； though not unkindly。
Ben just shook his head in silence。
Mark hadn't really expected any other answer； but still the refusals； Ben's in particular； irritated him。 〃So； you're going to hunt dragons instead？ That's as hard as fighting in a war； even if you do have Dragonslicer。〃
Ben turned。 Enthusiasm entered his voice again。 〃I told you； the hunting's only a small part of it。 The dragon is just in the way of something else。 I wish that both of you would e with me。〃
〃I'm no good at riddles；〃 Barbara said。
〃What would we do？〃 Mark asked。
〃Gain some money。 More than just that。 Wealth。〃
〃I'm not out to get wealthy；〃 Mark told him。
〃All right。 You're out to help Sir Andrew fight for his land and get it back。。。〃
〃And for his people。〃
〃All right； for his people。 Now you could help Sir Andrew a lot more by taking him a share of treasure； couldn't you？ Imagine yourself showing up in his camp with jewels and gold enough to feed his army for a year。〃
〃An army； for a year？〃
〃Ten years； maybe。〃
Barbara had turned to look at the huge man with concern。 〃Are you sick？〃 she asked him。 The question sounded unfortably serious。
And Mark asked： 〃Where's anyone going to find wealth like that？〃
Ben was calm。 〃I'll tell you both if you say you're with me。〃
This wasn't like Ben； and Mark couldn't figure it out。 〃Look； Sir Andrew needs real help。 Not some scheme that。。。 I'm going to get Coinspinner and take it to him。 If it's still wherever Barbara hid it。〃
Ben was looking stubborn now； maybe offended。 Mark added： 〃I think now that we were wrong to hide them the way we did。〃
Barbara said： 〃Then you've forgotten how tired the three of us were of Swords。 Remember？ Wed worry that they'd be stolen。 Or that somebody powerful would find out that we had them； and an army would e after us； or a demon； or some magician that we'd have no way to cope with。 Then we'd think of trying to sell them to someone； and we'd realize that we'd be cheated when we did； and murdered afterwards。 Then we'd worry that Coinspinner would get lost of itself。。。 remember how it'd move around？ We'd hide it underneath something on one side of the wagon； and find it on the other。 Or just outside。 I'm not sure it's going to be there when we look for it。〃
〃We'll look； though；〃 said Mark。 He paused。 〃Neither of you has ever heard anything of Townsaver； I guess？〃
As he had expected； the others signed that they had not。 Mark's father； Jord the blacksmith； had been the only survivor among the half dozen men conscripted by Vulcan to forge the Swords。 And when the job was done； the god had taken Jord's right arm … and given him； in payment he had said； the Sword of Fury； Townsaver。 All this before Mark had been born。
Then Jord； and Mark's older brother Kenn； had died in the fight when Townsaver saved their village … a hollow victory indeed； as Mark had seen for himself。。。
〃。。。 recovered from his wounds？〃 Barbara was asking him something。
With an effort Mark recalled his thoughts； and figured out what she was talking about。 〃Sir Andrew？ You mean his wounds from when his castle fell？ That was five years ago。 He's had more wounds since then； and overe them … he does right well for a man his age。 Or of any age； for that matter。 Keeps his own small army in the field； most of the year。 Supports Princess Rimac； and her General Rostov。 Harasses the Dark King。 And fights Queen Yambu； of course； she now holds Sir Andrew's old lands。〃 〃Dame Yoldi's still with him？〃
〃Sir Andrew'd not trust any other seer； I think。 Nor she； I suppose； any other lord。〃
Now again for a time there was silence； except for the plodding of the loadbeasts' feet and the creaking of the wagon。 All three people riding in it were examining different but related memories。 Ben reached up； unconsciously； to rub a scar that crossed his left shoulder and the upper part of his arm。 It was from a wound received in the fierce defense of Sir Andrew's castle； five years ago。。。
And Mark returned to that day now； as he sometimes did in nightmares。 Seeing the scaling ladders nosing up over the walls； the Gray Horde ready to swarm up。 And massed behind its hideous ranks were the black and silver of Yambu； the blue and white of the army of Duke Fraktin who was now no more。 That had been Mark's first real battle； and very nearly his last。
Barbara said： 〃Every time I think of that day； I think of Nestor。〃
〃Aye；〃 said Ben。 And then again all three were silent。 On the subject of Nestor there was no more to be said。 Dragonslicer had been Nestor's； as had this very wagon； and Nestor must have fallen at some point in the defense； perhaps with Townsaver still in hand。 By inheritance； or at least by unspoken agreement among Nestor's friends； Dragonslicer had e to Ben。
〃How large is Sir Andrew's army now？〃 Barbara asked Mark。
〃Even if I knew the numbers； I'd be wrong to tell them。 Even to you two。。。 anyway the numbers change； with fortune and the seasons。 But he needs help。〃 Raw urgency was in Mark's voice as he repeated： 〃I wish you'd e with me。 Both of you。〃
Barbara laughed again。 It was not a mocking sound； but quick and unhesitating。 〃I'm fed up with armies and with fighting。 I'd like to try the opposite side of life for a while。 Live in some peaceful town； and be a stodgy citizen with my own house and my own bed。 A solid bed with four legs； one that doesn't roll。 Let the world do its fighting outside the city walls。〃 Again she looked quickly to her panions on left and right。 〃The last time that the three of us were in a fight； you two had to carry me out of it … that should have been warning enough for all of us。〃
〃And I；〃 said Ben； 〃have had enough of armies too。 March back and forth to no purpose； take stupid orders and sweat and freeze and starve。 That's what you do on the good days。 And once in a while bad days e along。 As both of you know。〃 He faced Mark。 〃I admire Sir Andrew； but I have to say that I think his brains are addled。 He's never going to win his lands and people back。〃
〃So